CFW Week 9 Forecast – Robert Griffin III seeking Baylor job
Four big questions for Week 9:
Is it still the World’s Largest Cocktail Party in Atlanta?
Can Cincinnati make it two-straight over Top 10 teams?
Will Lincoln Riley get fired this weekend?
Who will win the Arizona-Texas Tech game?
This is the weekend of the annual Florida-Georgia football game. But it’s not being played in Jacksonville. This year’s game is in Atlanta. Yes, in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. So, can you still call it the World’s Largest Cocktail Party? I mean, it won’t have the same feeling in Atlanta. It won’t have the same atmosphere. There’s no tailgating in Atlanta. That means there are no cocktails.
Last week, Cincinnati pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year. The Bearcats knocked off Texas Tech, giving the then No. 8 Red Raiders their first loss of the season. That game was in Cincinnati. This weekend, also in Cincinnati, the Bearcats host undefeated and 6th-ranked Utah. Can Cincinnati do it again?
This weekend, USC hosts Ohio State in the Los Angeles Coliseum. It’s well known that Trojans coach Lincoln Riley is on the hot seat. Four coaches have already been fired this season. All four were fired following a loss. Should USC lose to Ohio State, will Riley get the pink slip?
In a key Big 12 game this weekend, Arizona (6-1) plays Texas Tech (6-1) in Lubbock, Texas. Arizona is on a 5-game winning streak. Texas Tech was upset last week. Who will win this weekend – the Wildcats or the Red Raiders?
Those four contests are the Top 4 games of the week. In addition to Florida-Georgia, there are two other big games in the SEC. Auburn travels to Oxford to take on Ole Miss. Can the Tigers do to the Magnolias what they did to Georgia?
South Carolina takes on Oklahoma in Norman. The Gamecocks may be the hottest team in the SEC right now. Can South Carolina burn the Sooners?
In addition to Ohio State-USC, there are three other big games in the Big Ten. Minnesota invades Bloomington to battle Indiana. Can the Gophers upset Indiana? Or will the Hoosiers show some offense this week?
Wisconsin travels to Iowa City for an encounter with the Hawkeyes. Like Lincoln Riley, Badgers coach Luke Fickell is treading water. Can Wisconsin score on the Iowa defense?
Cinderella Northwestern pays a visit to Eugene for a meeting with Oregon. The Ducks have been a strange team this season – not the team we expected. Can Northwestern keep its magic going?
In the Pac-12, Boise State hosts upstart Texas State. Boise State is the highest-ranked Group of Six team. Is there an upset in the works?
There are five other intriguing games of interest to keep your eye on this weekend. They are Army (5-2) at Memphis (6-2), Clemson (4-3) at Florida State (3-4), Miami (7-0) at North Carolina (4-3), Florida Atlantic (5-2) at North Texas (5-2) and Arizona State (4-3) at BYU (6-1).
The Top 12 teams in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll are 1. Tarleton State (8-0), 2. Stephen F. Austin (8-0), 3. Montana State (7-1), 4. Youngstown State (6-2), 5. South Dakota State (6-2) 6. South Dakota (7-2), 7. Northern Arizona (6-2), 8. Austin Peay (7-2), 9. Illinois State (6-2), 10. Tennessee Tech (7-1), 11. North Dakota (6-3), and 12. Mercer (6-2).
This week’s Saturday morning pregame shows: ESPN’s College GameDay is in Bloomington, Indiana, for the Minnesota-Indiana game. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff is in Iowa City, Iowa, for the Wisconsin-Iowa game. SECN’s Sec Nation is in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Florida-Georgia game. ACCN’s ACC Huddle is in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the Merrimack-Wake Forest game. Now, that’s a biggie.
Bo Bryan, son of country music singer Luke Bryan, has committed to Georgia. Bo Bryan is a senior at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, where he plays quarterback. He also had offers from Austin Peay, North Alabama and UT Martin. At Georgia, Bryan will be in the same recruiting class with quarterback Colton Nussmeier, the brother of Kansas City Chiefs and former LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. Bryan is a 3-star quarterback. Nussmeier is a 4-star quarterback.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell hasn’t been fired yet. But already Norvell is being mentioned as a candidate for the offensive coordinator job at Oregon.
Sam Houston fired heads coach Phil Longo after a 3-17 start across two seasons. Longo was fired a day after Sam Houston lost to Missouri State, 24-3. Longo was 1-11 in Conference USA play. Associate head coach Eric Raisbeck and defensive coordinator Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay will serve as interim co-head coaches for the rest of the season.
The college basketball season gets underway on Sunday, November 1.
Actress Susan St. James died on October 26. St. James first came to fame, starring in the TV series “The Name of the Game” (1968-1971). She received three Emmy Award nominations for the show, winning one in 1969. Her co-stars in “The Name of the Game,” who rotated weekly, were Tony Franciosa, Gene Barry and Robert Stack. Next St. James starred in the TV series “McMillan & Wife” (1971-1976) for which she received three Emmy nominations. Her co-star in “McMillan & Wife” was Rock Hudson. Then she co-starred with Jane Curtin in the TV series “Kate & Allie” (1984-1989), which garnered her two Emmy nominations. Throughout her career, St. James appeared in several films and many TV shows. A native of Los Angeles, Susan Jane Miller was 80.
Enjoy your weekend.
Touchdown Tom
October 29, 2026
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
Touchdown Tom’s Predictions for
Week Nine’s 10 Biggest and Most Intriguing Games….and then some
GAME OF THE WEEK: 1. #17 Florida (5-2) at #3 Georgia (6-1) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC – We know Georgia is beatable. Auburn taught us that. We know Florida can beat tough teams. Ole Miss and Texas taught us that. So who is going to be beatable this weekend? And who will Florida start at quarterback – Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones? We may not know until the game starts. Florida is due to win. Georgia has won the last five games and eight of the last nine games in this series. It’s the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Or is it this year? The game is being played in Atlanta. It will be in Tampa next year. Then back to Jacksonville in 2028. Anyone can win. But the Gators don’t – Georgia 28, Florida 24.
RUNNER-UP: 2. #6 Utah (7-0) at #28 Cincinnati (5-2) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 3:35 pm ET, Saturday, ESPN – Cincinnati has the chance to knock off two Top 10 teams in successive weeks. Last week, the Bearcats beat No. 8 Texas Tech. Cincinnati was at home in that game. The Bearcats are home again this week. Can they beat No. 6 Utah? They can. But I don’t think they will. If nothing else, the Bearcats will still be hungover. Utes skin the Cats – Utah 28, Cincinnati 18.
REST OF THE BEST: 3. #2 Ohio State (6-1) at #32 USC (6-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, NBC – This game will be interesting. The Buckeyes won’t have quarterback Julian Sayin. He’s out for the season. The Trojans probably won’t have Lincoln Riley if they lose this game. Riley is that close to losing his job. Playing without Sayin and the potential firing of Riley makes for interesting times. Riley could be headed back to the Big 12 – Ohio State 31, USC 27.
4. #22 Arizona (6-1) at #13 Texas Tech (6-1) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPN – Texas Tech lost its first game last week. So one would think the Red Raiders will bounce back this week. They could. But Tech is playing a tougher team this week than the one the Red Raiders lost to last week. Arizona beat Cincinnati, 34-7. And at Cincinnati. I know. You can’t compare scores. Still, with Noah Fifita at quarterback, I think the Wildcats are potentially the better team. It should be quite a game. Tech stumbles again – Arizona 24, Texas Tech 23.
5. #31 Minnesota (5-2) at #4 Indiana (7-1) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBS – So, I think we have come to the conclusion that Indiana has one of the best defenses in the country. But the Hoosiers don’t have one of the better offenses. Josh is no Fernando. Minnesota is somewhat similar. A weak offense combined with a pretty good defense. But the Gophers defense can’t compare with Indiana’s. Gophers head for their holes – Indiana 20, Minnesota 9.
6. Auburn (4-3) at #12 Ole Miss (5-2) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 12:45 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Both teams lost last week. Ole Miss to Texas and Auburn to LSU. Ole Miss won’t have running back Kewan Lacy this week. Still, the Magnolias are better than the Tigers. Auburn is a rebuilding team. The Eagle is still looking for his War – Ole Miss 30, Auburn 20.
7. #25 Wisconsin (5-2) at #26 Iowa (5-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, FOX – The contest in the Big Ten this week is which game can produce the most points – Minnesota-Indiana or Wisconsin-Iowa. Badgers coach Luke Fickell is fighting to keep his job. So far, he is hanging in there. Iowa was upset last week. The Hawkeyes will be looking to bounce back. The ice gets thinner under Fickell – Iowa 17, Wisconsin 12.
8. #20 Northwestern (6-1) at Oregon (4-3) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, Peacock – Northwestern is one of the surprise teams of the season. At least, so far. The Wildcats have a tough one this week. Oregon isn’t the Oregon everyone thought the Ducks would be. Still, the Ducks are tough and especially at home. But not tough enough this week. Wildcats feast on Duck – Northwestern 27, Oregon 24.
9. Texas State (4-3) at #20 Boise State (6-1) – (Pac-12 vs. Pac-12) – 10 pm ET, Saturday, CWN – Texas State is 4-3, but the Bobcats are a strong 4-3. They have a potent offense. Quarterback Brad Jackson keeps them moving – through the air and on the ground. Texas State’s problem is its defense. There isn’t one. That’s where Boise State will take advantage of the Bobcats. But Texas State is capable of making this a good game. Bobcats can’t tame the Broncos – Boise State 31, Texas State 21.
10. #30 South Carolina (4-3) at Oklahoma (4-3) – (SEC vs. SEC) – 4:15 pm ET, Saturday, SECN – Who is going to win this game? Both teams are still desperate for wins. South Carolina is hot. Maybe the hottest team in the country. In back-to-back weeks, the Gamecocks have knocked off Florida and Tennessee. Can we say that Oklahoma has the better defense and South Carolina has the better offense? Cocky loses by a hind feather – Oklahoma 21, South Carolina 20.
YE OLDE STOMPING GROUNDS:
Boston College (4-3) at Duke (5-2) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, CWN – Duke started out 4-0. Then the Blue Devils lost two-straight games. The Dookies got back on track last week. But they may have trouble staying on track. After beginning the season 2-3, Boston College has found itself the last two weeks. The Eagles have wins over Pitt and Georgia Tech. We all know that Duke lost to Georgia Tech. It all makes for what could be an exciting game. The Dookies survive – Duke 31, Boston College 26.
Purdue (3-4) at Penn State (3-4) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 4:15 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – Both of these teams are floundering in the Big Ten. Penn State has yet to win a conference game. The Nitts are 0-4. Purdue has managed to pull out two wins in conference play. But, in general, neither team has looked good. Both could struggle in this game. Boilers run out of steam – Penn State 30, Purdue 27.
Washington (4-3) at Nebraska (5-2) – (Big Ten vs. Big Ten) – 8 pm ET, Saturday, BTN – At 5-0, the Huskers were looking pretty good. Then along came Indiana and Oregon. The Huskers haven’t looked so good. Washington is worse. The Huskies have been hot and cold. Washington quarterback Demond Williams may or may not play – game time decision. Who wants this game more? It’s the Huskers who are looking husky – Nebraska 28, Washington 24.
ELSEWHERE AROUND FLORIDA:
Florida Atlantic (5-2) at North Texas (5-2) – (AC vs. AC) – 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, ESPN….
Baylor (4-3) at UCF (4-3) – (Big 12 vs. Big 12) – 7:30 pm ET, Friday, ESPN….
UAB (4-3) at South Florida (5-2) – (AC vs. AC) – 12 noon ET, Saturday, ESPNU….
Dayton (6-1) at Stetson (1-7) – (Pioneer vs. Pioneer) – 1 pm ET, Saturday, YouTube….
Bethune-Cookman (5-3) at Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-3) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….
Southern (3-5) at Florida A&M (2-6) – (SWAC vs. SWAC) – 3 pm ET, Saturday….
FIU (3-4) at Liberty (6-1) – (C-USA vs. C-USA) – 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, CBSSN….
Clemson (4-3) at Florida State (3-4) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7 pm ET, Saturday, ACCN….
#1 Miami (7-0) at North Carolina (4-3) – (ACC vs. ACC) – 7:30 pm ET, Saturday, ABC….
Quotes of the Week
“I understand your frustration. We’re methodically working on a plan,” Florida State president Richard McCullough to the FSU fans.
“Lincoln Riley could make USC fire him. Or he could just cut and run,” USA Today sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer.
“USC and Lincoln Riley appear headed for an ugly breakup. It’s an unhappy marriage,” USA Today sports columnist John Brice.
“This is where I want to be. This is the right place for me. I’m the right person to be here,” USC coach Lincoln Riley.
“I’m 100% interested in the Baylor job,” former Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, on the head coach opening at his alma mater.
Touchdown Tom
https://collegefootballweek.blogspot.com
The next CFW – Week 9 Results – will be posted Monday morning, November 2.
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